CHAPTER 151
The entire camp instantly awoke from its slumber. Urgent footsteps, the clatter of Shinobi tools being readied, and the low shouts of squad captains intertwined throughout the encampment. Might Guy followed Inuzuka Tsume's squad as they quickly headed toward the designated assembly point. Along the way, his gaze swept across the surging crowd filling the camp, and his pupils suddenly constricted.
The numbers... were wrong.
The number of Shinobi gathered inside the camp far exceeded his previous estimate.
Originally, Konoha's total military strength on the Land of Rice Fields front had been around two thousand Shinobi. But now, as formations from every section of the camp assembled according to their respective units, a rough estimate placed their total strength at nearly three thousand.
"Rear garrison forces? Or reinforcements transferred from other fronts?"
"When did they arrive?"
Guy's heart trembled.
He knew nothing about it.
For the past few days, he had remained with the Intelligence Unit, rarely leaving his assigned area. As a result, he had been completely unaware of the changes in troop deployment outside.
Now, seeing nearly a thousand additional Shinobi standing before him, his heart couldn't help but shake.
Everyone assembled quickly.
The open ground at the center of the camp was densely packed with Konoha Shinobi.
The atmosphere was heavy and solemn.
Standing atop the raised platform was Akimichi Torifu.
His expression was more serious than ever before.
Beside him stood Orochimaru and Inoichi Yamanaka.
Akimichi Torifu slowly swept his gaze across the three thousand pairs of eyes before him.
His voice, amplified by Chakra, echoed clearly throughout the entire camp.
However...
The contents of his announcement caused everyone's hearts to tremble.
"We have just received urgent intelligence."
"Iwagakure has completed the large-scale mobilization of its forces."
"At least four thousand additional Shinobi are advancing toward the Land of Rice Fields."
"Together with the two thousand troops already stationed along the border..."
"The enemy's total strength is estimated to exceed..."
"Six thousand Shinobi."
"Six thousand?!"
An uncontrollable wave of gasps immediately swept through the assembled ranks.
The pressure brought by that number was overwhelming.
Six thousand elite Iwagakure Shinobi.
This was unquestionably an unprecedented large-scale offensive.
A full-scale retaliatory war.
Akimichi Torifu raised both hands, signaling everyone to quiet down.
Only after the murmurs gradually subsided did he raise his voice once more.
His words carried unwavering determination and fighting spirit.
"They have come."
"They have come to avenge the death of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi."
"This is Iwagakure's war of vengeance."
"They have come for Konoha's war hero."
"Tell me..."
"Will Konoha be afraid?!"
After a brief silence...
A thunderous roar erupted like a volcanic explosion.
"No!!!"
"Konoha will win!!"
"Kill every last one of them!!"
The morale of the entire army was ignited instantly.
Everyone understood that this was an unavoidable battle to the death.
Retreat...
Meant only death.
Seeing the blazing determination in everyone's eyes, Akimichi Torifu continued.
"Iwagakure has reinforcements."
"So how could Konoha not?"
"Hokage-sama has already issued an emergency mobilization order."
"Reinforcement units are advancing toward the front lines at full speed."
"They are expected to arrive before nightfall."
"We are not fighting alone."
Hearing those words, many people finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
As long as Konoha's reinforcements arrived in time, even if it was only another one or two thousand Shinobi, the numerical disadvantage would no longer be overwhelmingly hopeless.
Besides...
Almost instinctively, everyone's gaze shifted toward the pale, slender figure standing beside Akimichi Torifu.
Lord Orochimaru.
One of Konoha's Legendary Sannin.
With Orochimaru personally commanding the battlefield, Konoha's highest level of combat power was in no way inferior to the enemy's.
This battle...
Could still be fought.
However, standing among the ranks, Might Guy's heart was already in turmoil.
Six thousand Iwagakure Shinobi.
Three thousand Konoha Shinobi.
Reinforcements still on their way.
That meant the total scale of this battle...
Would exceed ten thousand participants.
Aside from the famous battle where the Third Raikage stood alone against ten thousand Iwagakure Shinobi, this could very well become the largest frontal engagement of the Third Shinobi World War.
Yet...
Why did he have absolutely no memory of such an enormous battle ever taking place on the Land of Rice Fields front?
No memory...
Wait.
"Ten thousand?"
"The Third Raikage?"
Like a bolt of lightning splitting apart dark clouds, a single thought instantly cleared every trace of confusion from Guy's mind.
That classified intelligence hidden inside Roshi's memories...
The information that had caused both Inoichi Yamanaka and Akimichi Torifu to change expression so drastically.
The very reason they had even regretted refusing to return Roshi's corpse.
"Could it be..."
"Iwagakure's plan to ambush the Third Raikage?"
Guy's expression became incomparably grave.
"If that's true..."
His heartbeat accelerated violently as an icy chill spread through his body.
"Then this isn't simply revenge for Roshi."
"Iwagakure abandoned its original strategy to ambush the Third Raikage."
"They redirected the massive force originally meant to deal with Kumogakure..."
"And turned it completely against Konoha."
In an instant...
Every clue connected together.
Kitsuchi's desperate demand for Roshi's corpse.
His repeated warnings before retreating.
Akimichi Torifu's and Inoichi Yamanaka's regret.
The carefully crafted narrative throughout the camp that this was merely retaliation for Roshi's death.
And now...
This military confrontation on a scale far beyond normal expectations.
Everything merged into one unmistakably clear picture.
Guy could almost conclude with certainty...
This was the truth.
"If that's really the case..."
"Then the coming battle..."
"Will deal Konoha an unprecedented and catastrophic blow."
This was no longer a border conflict.
Nor was it merely a battle over a single outpost.
This had become a strategic-level decisive engagement capable of determining the future of the entire eastern theater of the war.
He also instantly understood why every detail of Roshi's intelligence had been completely sealed.
It absolutely could not be revealed.
If ordinary Shinobi learned the truth...
Their morale would suffer a devastating collapse.
"Might Guy?"
"What's wrong?"
"You suddenly look pale."
Standing beside him, Ebisu noticed the dramatic change in Guy's expression. He gently nudged him with his elbow before lowering his voice.
"Are you alright?"
Guy immediately returned to his senses.
Taking a deep breath, he forcefully suppressed the storm raging within his heart.
He shook his head lightly.
"I'm fine."
He couldn't say anything.
That secret had to remain buried.
His gaze returned to the platform, listening as Akimichi Torifu continued explaining the battle plan and assigning each unit its role.
Yet despite himself...
His eyes repeatedly drifted toward Ebisu and Genma standing beside him.
Then toward Kurenai, Shikuro Nara, and Asuma Sarutobi farther away among the assembled ranks.
His gaze moved back and forth across their familiar faces.
This was a war involving more than ten thousand Shinobi.
A battle that had never existed in his previous memories.
Iwagakure's all-out retaliation.
Konoha's hurried preparations while waiting desperately for reinforcements.
No one...
Could predict how it would end.
On a battlefield of this scale...
Human lives were no more valuable than blades of grass.
Whether these companions could survive the coming meat grinder of war...
Remained completely unknown.
A heavy pressure settled over Guy's heart like a dark cloud.
But he had no time to dwell on it.
After raising the army's morale, Akimichi Torifu immediately issued his final order.
"The entire army..."
"Move out for the battlefield immediately!"
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